ZINCUM METALLICUM: Materia Medica

Zinc (ZINC) – The provings picture cerebral depression. The word “fag” covers a large part of zinc action. Tissues are worn out faster than they are repaired. Poisoning from suppressed eruptions or discharges.

The nervous symptoms of most importance. Defective vitality. Impending brain paralysis. Period of depression in disease. Spinal affections. Twitchings. Pain, as if between skin and flesh. Great relief from discharges.

Chorea, from fright or suppressed eruption. Convulsions, with pale face and no heat. Marked anaemia with profound prostration. It causes a decrease in the number, and destruction of red blood corpuscles. Repercussed eruptive diseases. In chronic diseases with brain and spinal symptoms, trembling, convulsive twitching and fidgety feet are guiding symptoms.

Mind.–Weak memory. Very sensitive to noise. Averse to work, to talk. Child repeats everything said to it. Fears arrest on account of a supposed crime. Melancholia. Lethargic, stupid. Paresis.

Head.–Feels as if he would fall to left side. Headache from the smallest quantity of wine. Hydrocephalus. Rolls head from side to side. Bores head into pillow. Occipital pain, with weight on vertex. Automatic motion of head and hands. Brain-fag; headaches of overtaxed school children. Forehead cool; base of brain hot. Roaring in head. Starting in fright.

Back.–Pain in small of back. Cannot bear back touched (Sul; Therid; Cinch). Tension and stinging between shoulders. Spinal irritation. Dull aching about the last dorsal or first lumbar vertebrae; worse sitting. Burning along spine. Nape of neck weary from writing or any exertion. Tearing in shoulder-blades.

Sleep.–Cries out during sleep; body jerks; wakes frightened, stared. Nervous motion of feet when asleep. Loud screaming out at night in sleep without being aware of it. Somnambulism (Kali phos).

Skin.–Varicose veins, especially of lower extremities (Puls). Formication of feet and legs as from bugs crawling over the skin, preventing sleep. Eczema, especially in the anaemic and neurotic. Itching of thighs and hollow of knees. Retrocession of eruptions.

Written by William Boericke (1849 - 1929) and published first in his book "Materia Medica" (1901)
William Boericke was an Austrian-born American physician who became a influential exponent of homeopathy. He is also known as an academic writer, publisher, medical school professor and owner of several pharmacies.

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